Tube beading and flaring tool



Patented Aug.- 30, 1949 TUBE BEADING AND FLARING TOOL Howard F.' Brinen, Racine, Wis.,'- assignor' to Young Radiator Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 31, 1948, Serial No. 18,192

2 Claims. 1

Th main objects of this invention are, to provide an improved tool for beading and flaring the ends of metal tubes into a header plate; to provide a tool of this type having an improved arrangement of a beading die and a flaring die whereby the flaring of the tube end is effected by a movement of the flaring die axially of the beading die following its expansion to form the head; to provide improved means for effecting the operation of said dies; to provide an improved construction and arrangement of resilient means for normally retracting the die-operating means; and to provide an improved tool of this type which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy and positive in its operation.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred'form of beading and flaring tool constructed in accordance with this invention, the parts being shown in relatively retracted positions and with the beading and flaring dies positioned with respect to a tube end which is to be anchored in a header plate;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the tool showing the position of the parts thereof and the condition of the tube subsequent to the beading operation;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the tool parts and the condition of the tube subsequent to the flaring operation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line l4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spindle collar whereon the operating handles are pivotally supported.

An improved tube-beading and -flaring tool constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a housing 6, mounting a tube-flaring die 1, wherein is slidably supported a telescopically-arranged tubular member 8, mounting a tube-beading die 9,-and a spindle l0, mounting a mandrel H, the relative. axial movements of which housing, member, and spindle are effected by a pair of handles l2 acting against the normal retractive force of springs i 3 and M.

The housing 6 comprises forward and rear parts. The forward part is of tubular form providing a chamber and a bore wherein isslidably supported the tube-beading die chamber 8. The outer end of this tubular forward housing part is tapered to provide a tube-flaring die I. The rear part of the housing -6 comprises rearwardly extending rods 20 spanned at their outer ends by a cross bar 2| and anchored to a cross head l8 integral with the forward tubular housing part and by means of which the housing chamber closure I 9 is held in place. I

The closure I9 is held in place by the rods 20 which have their inner ends threaded into the cross-head face, is provided with recesses 24 which serve to engage and retain in proper position the cam ends of the operating handles l2.

The cross-bar 2| is held in place on the rods 1 opposed to the tube-beading die 9. If preferred.

the tapered surface I could be formed integral with the end of the housing 6. As will be pointed out more fully hereinafter, the flaring die 1 coacts with thebeading die-9 to flare-the endof the tube T into theheader plate H.

The die member 8 is of tubular form and is slidably mounted in the bore H with its opposite ends extending into the housing chamber 16 and beyond the flaring die I. At its innerjend the member 8 is formed with a head 28 slidable in the housing chamber 16. The die 9,- located at the outer end of the member 8, comprises an annular enlargement 29 and a plurality of slits extending inwardly from and through the annular enlargement 29 to provide a plurality of fingers 30 which are normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of the tubular member I0. Thus the outside diameter of the annular enlargement 29 normally is less than the inside diameter of the tube T which the tool is to be used to expand. This permits the enlargement to slip into the end of the tube T preparatory to beading it into a header plate H and flaring the outer end of said tube after the beading operation.

'The spindle Ill is slidably sheathed in the tubular member 8. Its opposite ends extend beyond the housing cross-head 2| and the annular enlargement 29 on the member 8. The rearwardly-extending part provides a pivotal support for the handles I! as will appear more fully hereinafter. At its forward end the spindle i0 is enlarged to provide the mandrel II.

The mandrel ll provides atapered surface 3| which is received into the split end of the memher 8, when the spindle is drawn rearwardly, and causes an expansion of the annular enlargement l8 as shown at 22 and provide shoulders 23 which hold the closure l9 against the cross-head l8. The closure IS, in its rear 3 28 to form a head in the tube T inwardly of the header plate H. A shoulder 32, formed on the mandrel at the outer extremity of the taper 3|,

- abuts the tubular member 8 and limits the axial movement of the spindle l8 relative to thememher 8, and consequently the expansion of the enlargement 28.

The operating handles l2 are in the form of a pair of curved elements crossed and pivotally supported on a collar 33 adjustably mounted on the spindle Ill. The forward extremities of the handles are received in the slots 24 cut in the closure l9 and, when the outer ends of the handles H are compressed, have. a camming action on the housing 8 to effect the required relative movement of the spindle ID, the member 8, and the housing 8.

The collar 33 is provided with trunnions 38 on which the handles are held by spring rings 38. Set screws 38 serve to fix the position of the collar 33 on the spindle l8 and thus permit the pivot of the handles l2 to be adjusted axially of the spindle l8 and consequently affect somewhat the stroke of the spindle Ill.

The springs l3 and II cooperate to normally shift the housing 6, member 8, and spindle l relative to each other to retract the mandrel from the beading die 9 and space the latter with respect to the flaring die I.

The spring l3 embraces the spindle i8 within the chamber it between the head 28 on the member 8 and the housing closure l9. It thus presses the head 28 against a shoulder 31 formed at the juncture of the chamber l8 and bore ll. Thus the annular enlargement 3| of the beading die 8 is held in its fully extended position beyond the end of the housing 8 and accordingly appropriately spaced from the tube-flaring die 1 of said housing.

The spring I! embraces the spindle between the collar 33 and the cross-bar 2i and normally shifts the mandrel toward its fully-retracted position with respect to the annular enlargement 28 of the beading die 9.

A spring l5 spans the handles l2 rearwardly of the housing cross-head 2| and tends to limit the separation of the outer ends of the handles, as influenced by the springs l3 and H, so as to retain the handles in their expanded relationship, within the grasp of the operator's hand.

The operation of this improved tube-beading and -flaring tool is as follows:

The mandrel l l and heading die "8being shifted by springs l3 and i4 into their fully extended positions relative to each other and to the flaring die 1, the tool is ready to be inserted into the end of a tube T. Preferably it is placed so that the tapered end of the bushing 21 abuts against the end of the tube T. That so locates the beading die 9 in the tube T that the bead will be formed direcltly inwardlyof the header plate H. (See Fig.

With the tool so positioned the compression of the handles 12 causes the camming action thereof against the housing closure l9 to draw the spindle I8 rearwardly. The tapered part 3! enters the outer end of the member 8, expanding the annular enlargement 28 and forming a head in the tube T directly inward of the header plate H, as indicated in Fig. 2. The contact of the mandrel shoulder 32 with the end of the member 8 limits any further relative movement of the spindle and member 8.

- The expansion of the enlargement 28 into the tube precludes any 7 movement of the member 8 relative to the housing l8. However, the handles H are subject to further compression. This continues to exert a pressure between the spindle l8 and the housing 8. Consequently the housing moves forwardly on the member 8 against the action of the spring l3. This presses the die 1 into the tube end, causing a flaring thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Upon completing the formation of the bead and the flare a release of the handles l2 permits the springs l3 and H to act to restore the housing 8, member 8, and spindle I 8 to their normallyextended positions, as shown in Fig. 1.

Other variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described the combination of a housing having forward and rear parts, the former of which is chambered and has a bore extending from the chamber through the forward portion of said housing and forming a shoulder at the juncture of said chamber and bore, a tubular member slidably mounted in said bore and having its opposite ends respectively terminating within said housing chamber and extending beyond the forward end of said housing, said member having a head formed on the chamber end thereof and an annular enlargement formed on the outer end and having slits extending inwardly from the outer end thereof through said enlargement to provide fingers normally biased toward each other by the resilience of said member whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a spindle slidably sheathed in said member and having the opposite ends respectively extending beyond the forward end of said member and rearwardly of the chambered forward part of said housing, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said spindle and adapted to be drawn into the split and of said member to effect the expansion of said annular enlargement, a pair of operating handles pivotally connected to the rearward end of said spindle with the forward ends of said handles camming against said housing to effect an axial movement of said spindle and member relative to each other and to said housing when the outer ends of said handles are compressed, a closure for said housing chamber, a compression spring interposed between said member head and said closure whereby said head is normally urged against said housing shoulder to position said member enlargement with respect to the outer end of said housing, and a second compression spring interposed between said rear housing part and said spindle to normally shift said spindle to retract said mandrel from said member enlargement. v a

2. In a tool of the class described the combination of a housing having forward and rear parts, the former of which is chambered and has a bore extending from the chamber through the forward portion of said housing and forming a shoulder at the juncture of said chamber and bore, a tubular member slidably mounted in said bore and having its opposite ends respectively terminating within said housing chamber and extending beyond the forward end of said housing, said member having a head formed on the chamber end thereof and an annular enlarge- 5 .ment formed on the outer end and having slits extending inwardly from the outer end thereof is to be used to expand, a spindle slidably sheathed in said member and having the opposite ends respectively extending beyond the forward end of said member, and rearwardly of the spindle of said housing, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said spindle and adapted to. be drawn into the split end of said member to efiect the expansion of said annular enlargement, a trunnioned collar slidably mounted on said rod rearwardly of said forward housing part, means for fixing said collar on said spindle, a pair of operating handles pivoted one to each of said collar trunnions with the forward ends oi'said handles cammlng against said housing to eiiect the axial movement of said spindle and member relative to each other and to. said housing when the outer ends of said handles are compressed. a closure for said housing chamber, a compression spring interposed between said member head and said closure whereby said head is normally urged against said housing shoulder to position said member enlargement with respect tothe outer end of said housing, and a second compression spring embracing said spindle and interposed between said collar and the rear part oi said housing and adapted to normally shift said spindle to retract said mandrel from said member enlargement.

HQWARD F. BRINEN.

= one man are oi record in the ale oi this patent: I 

